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Institutional Library Snapshot Day

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Institutional Library Snapshot Day Institutional Library Snapshot Day On January 11, 2011, Washington State Library took a snapshot of a day in the lives of their Institutional Branches... 12 Branch Libraries 10 prisons and 2 psychiatric hospitals Institutional Library Snapshot Day provides a way for libraries located within Washington State’s major prisons and psychiatric hospitals to share their mission with the public. How many books are checked out? How many reference questions are answered? What happens in an Institutional Library? Snapshot Day Statistics: 1287 Inmate/patient visitors 56 Staff visitors 54 New inmate/patient patrons added 15 New staff patrons added 4623 Items circulated 868 Reference questions answered 352 Reference materials used More Snapshot Day Statistics: Primary purpose for visiting the library on snapshot day: The survey taken on Library Snap- shot Day shows that the primary uses for the library are education and recreation. Some of the popular responses in the “other” category were escape, research, law, and personal growth. Growth Over the last two years, a significant number of open library hours were added at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center, Washington State Reformatory, Clallam Bay Corrections Center, Twin Rivers Corrections Center, and the Washington Corrections Center for Women. “The mind is a terrible thing to waste — read!” — inmate at Stafford Creek Corrections Center 2009 2010 Difference Circulation 736977 767583 +4% ILLs 11583 15029 +29% Borrowed ILLs 2416 3229 +33% Loaned Hours Open 4926.6 10034.8 +103% Number of 19944 22912 +14% Library Users Reference 5392 13240 +145% Questions Answered “This library is an outlet and a tool to unwind and reconnect with the current events and community happenings from home, as well as business trends and investment opportunities.” — inmate at Twin Rivers Corrections Center Connection to the Outside Each of the Institutional Library Services Branches of the Washington State Library offers state and local newspapers in English and Spanish, along with magazines in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Russian. This provides inmates and patients an opportunity to connect with what’s going on outside of their institutions. “I usually come up to read my hometown newspaper to stay in touch with what’s going on in the community. Without the library I wouldn’t have access to most of what the paper offers or goes on at home. Our librarian Jeannie is very helpful in seeking out anything else myself or others are interested in. Today I’d like to check out a book of quotes to share with my friends doing treatment on the street. Thank you Jeannie & thanks for the access to the Washington State Library & the ILL system.” — inmate at Stafford Creek Corrections Center “I can keep current with news with the wide variety of newspapers and magazines we have access to. I have also used the ILL book loaning system.” — inmate at Twin Rivers Corrections Center Re-entry Resources The ILS Branches offer a wide variety of re-entry information resources for patients and inmates preparing to release, including local transitional housing, treatment programs, information on continuing education, Veteran’s Benefits upon release, and how to re-instate Voter’s Rights. The library collections aim to provide a wide variety of resources to assist in preparing for re-entry, ranging from books on managing addictions, anger, and mental health issues to developing job-search skills to books on relationships and parenting. The library has and is helping me with finding work opportunities for my release. — inmate at Stafford Creek Corrections Center “The Washington State Library in state prisons is the number one best way for people that want to better themselves and stay out upon release from prison to do so. If Washington State wants a decreased recidivism rate for people released from prison: cutting the library and our ability to educate ourselves is absolutely not what this state legislature should even consider.” — inmate at Clallam Bay Corrections Center “Keeps me up to date on the newspaper from my town. Gives me a reason to stay out of trouble so I can reach my early release date and got back into society. Helps enlighten and educate me to help prepare me for release to be a better person and learn to interact with people in a more productive way.” — inmate at Stafford Creek Corrections Center Education ILS ranches support patient and inmate education in a variety of ways. Branch collections offer a balanced non-fiction section which contains materials to help patrons pass the GED test, learn a new language, and keep up to date with the latest technologies. In addition to accessing the libraries' collections, patrons may receive books, articles, and sound recordings though interlibrary loan or the internet with the help of library staff. ILS branches also provide material to aid patients and inmates in locating correspondence courses while institutionalized and in locating schools and funding upon release. “The library not only helped me put together my release plan but with information from the library I was able to get enrolled in school and find money with grants to pay for it.” — inmate at Twin Rivers “Came to prison at age 16, undereducated, ignorant, and closed minded. With the guidance of some old convicts, I became self educated, and achieved a college level education through the prison library. All the school floor offers in GED classes, so the library is the only means to better our- selves in prison.” — inmate at Stafford Creek Corrections Center ILS Branches also offer access to popular Recreation fiction, classics, bestsellers, and music. “The library in this facility is one of the only outlets I have. Through the books I find I can learn new things, meet new people, and travel to far off lands. Without the books provided by this library, my life would be dull and my mind would slowly rot away to oblivion.” — inmate at Stafford Creek Corrections Center “I use the library for multi-use. I research from my education projects. I use it for casual reading and music listening. Also, when I’m curious about certain subjects I use the library to seek info. Plus, the ILL program is helpful and unique. I love the library!” — inmate at Twin Rivers “I appreciate the library and its patrons, they give us a little release from the constant rut of prison life. People outside of the wire do not understand what it feels like to be held captive, so to speak, and then be able to free yourself within the confines of a good book!” — inmate at Clallam Bay Corrections Center Legal The Coyote Ridge Corrections Center Branch, which opened in February 2009, provides access to legal research resources as well as general library service. At Coyote Ridge, patrons are able to access case law and statutes via LexisNexis EHD, an offline version of the LexisNexis database. Patrons also have access to word processing and typewriters, policies and procedures for the Department of Corrections, legal writing guides, and other legal reference books. Library staff cannot give legal advice, but they assist inmates with research needs by teaching them how to retrieve information from library materials. Inmates do not have internet access, but library staff assist them by locating and printing pertinent information from online legal resources. “I am working my way out of prison thanks to the law library. Thank you & God bless.” — inmate at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center “This library allowed me to settle a legal matter favorably. Otherwise I would’ve gone to a county jail and lost a lot of op- portunities.” — inmate at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center “It’s a good place to relax, get caught up on current events, learn something new and listen Recovery to some good music.” - patient at Eastern State At the Western and Eastern Hospital State Hospital Branches, persons with psychiatric diagnosis visit the library as part of their recovery program. Both libraries offer a full range of books, magazines, newspapers, music and film. Their collections specialize in media that focuses on psychiatric issues. In addition to collection material, the library also provides a welcoming space for patients to read, relax to their favorite music, and access the internet. Staff also enjoy the non-institutional environment of the library and its collections. The library provides jobs for some patients as library aides, which enhances their recovery process. Patients and staff who cannot visit the library are all served through campus delivery. outreach. “The library is a nice place to relax and have some quiet time, also very helpful with any information I need. Our librarian is the best!” - patient at Eastern State Hospital .
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